Electric switch



Jan. 30, 1934. F E JOHNSON 1,945,487

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July i5, 1929 Patented Jan. 30, 1934 PATENT FFCEELECTRIC SWTCH Frank E. `lohnson, New Bedford, Mass., assigner to .lohnl. Paulding, line., New Bedford, Mass., a corporation of MassachusettsApplication July 15, 1929. Serial No. 378,306

Claims. (Cl. 20th-67) This invention relates to an electric switch and22 of the rocker member and the other leg 28 more particularly to a snapswitch adapted to be for anchoring the terminal on the insulatingoperated by turning a button. body. The latter is provided with a pairof bores One of the important objects of the invention 30 in its rearface each of which is connected to is t -e provision of a switch of thecharacter dethe front face by a 'i`-shaped opening or slot 32 scribedwhich is of such compact and simplified (Fig. 5) the head of each slotbeing adapted to construction that it can be made and assembled receiveand hold the leg 28 of one of the terminals. at a very low cost. A hOle84 is punched in the head of the terminal Another important object isthe provision of a for receiving loosely a binding screw 36 which is oswitch in which the actuating spring is operated held therein by asquare nut in the bore 30 (Fig. i5

by a cam action effected by turning a button. 3) After each terminal hasbeen mounted in Other objects of the invention will be more speplace(Fig. 7 and the binding screw turned down, cically pointed out anddescribed hereinafter. the bore 30 in each case is lled with theinsulat- In the accompanying drawing illustrating one ing wax which newsaround the square nut and y form of the invention, Figure l is a frontelevaleg 28 and when hardened locks them in position. 30 tion of aswitch constructed and adapted to be To insure further the locking ofthe leg 28, it operated in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 may becut out at the side points 40. After the is a front elevation of thesame with the operating insulating wax has hardened the turning up ofbutton and cover removed; Fig. 3 is a rear elevathe binding screw willnot disturb the nut which tion; Fig. 4 is a central sectional view online will be held in position between the wax and the iii- 4-4 in Fig.l; Fig. 5 is a front elevation oi the ininner end of the bore. sulatingbody showing one nxed contact mounted This form of terminal has a numberof adtherein; Fig. 6 is a central sectional view on Vantages. Itcombines a ixed contact and terline 6-6 in Fig. l with the coverremoved; Fig. minal in one piece which can be stamped out of 7 is asectional view on line '7-7 in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is sheet material andshaped in one operation. It Si a plan view of the cam slide; Fig. 9 is aplan View obviates tapping and threading two holes, which of the cam andFig. l0 is a view in perspective of are generally required, one for thefastening screw a terminal contact. and the other for the binding screw,and which In the illustrated embodiment of the invention are expensiveoperations. It also facilitates the l2 designates an insulating body ofany suitable assembling operation by eliminating the fastening tti formfor holding the switch parts. As shown, of the terminals to theinsulating body by the however, the body is circular in plan and isprouse of screws or equivalent devices. vided in its front face with adeep recess or cham- It will be observed that the bases of the groovesber 14 within which is loosely mounted a rocker 2G are flat whichpermits of a slight movement member 16 of any suitable form, butpreferably in a lateral direction of the rocker member in its U-shapedin plan and adapted to be stamped out bearings in order to insure apositive contact beof sheet material. The two ends 18 of the rockertween the rocker member and the fixed contacts member are turnedoutwardly to form journal in case the latter are slightly out ofalignment. portions to fit in V-shaped grooves 2O formed in .in suchcase the pressure of the actuating spring the side walls of the recess14 which grooves act twists the rocker member in its bearings sui- 95 asbearings for said member. The end walls cf ciently to hold it againstboth fixed contacts. said recess serve as stops to limit the movementFor actuating the rocker member to open or to of the rocker member. Onthe base portion of close the circuit a spring 42 is provided which issaid member are formed two separated extension operated by a slide 44reciprocated by a cam 46 45 or contact portions 22 which are turned upon mounted on a turn button 48. The slide 44 (Fig. 100

one side in angular relation to the main body of 8) is in the form of arectangular plate having said member (Fig. Il) for engaging and bridgingturned end nanges for engagement a pair of fixed separated contactterminals 24 iasby the cam (i6 whic is eccentrically mounted on tened tothe rear face of the insulating body. the threaded stem 52 of the turnbutton 48.

50 The form of the contact ter". inals and the Stamped out of the bodyof the slide and turned 05 method of fastening them to the insulatingbody downwardly is a tongue 54 having an end hold constitute oneimportant feature of the inven- 56 through which one end of theactuating helition. Each of the terminals 2li is substantially calspring 42 is passed and locked, the other end U-shaped (Fig. le) one leg26 serving as a conof which encloses loosely an upwardly projecting 55tact to be engaged by one of the contact portions lug 58 on the base ofthe rocker member. Since 110 the spring is under compression at alltimes its lower end remains on the lug andrholds the rocker memberdownwardly in its bearings.

For holding and guiding the cam slide, a guide plate is fastened toprojecting portions 62 of the front face of the body l2 which plate maybe or" any suitable form but as shown simulates a cross (Fig. 2). It issecured to the body by two screws 64 mounted from the inner face of thebody in suitable bores and threaded into the ends of two opposite armsof the plate. The other two opposite arms are provided each with alongitudinal open slot 66 into which projects a lug 63 formed on one ofthe end iianges of the cam slide and the slots and lugs act to guide thecam slide in its reciprocating movement.

Between the cam slide and guide plate is arranged the cam 46 preferablya circular disk in form, having a threaded hub 69 eccentrically located(Fig. 9) for receiving the threaded stem of the button e3. The guideplate is provided with a central hole for receiving the hub 69 of thecam and the latter is rotated eccentrically by the turn button in aclockwise direction. The cari slide is supported and slides on shoulders70 formed in the `insulating body. On its periphery the cam may have atooth 72 formed to facilitate the removal of the turn button from thecam by turning the button contra-cioclnvise. lr" the button sticks whenthus turned and ten to carry the cam in the latter direction the toothwill engage one end of a flange 50 and lock the cam against furthermovement in that direction and the turn button can then be unscrewedfrom the cam.

For concealing the switch mechanism a cover 74 of any suitable form isprovided having a central hole I5 for the insertion of the turn buttonin the cam ait-er the cover has been mounted in place. To remove thecover it is of course necessary to rst remove the turn button whichfrees the cover. The ange 76 of the cover is provided with an edge notch77 to receive a projection 78 formed in the rim of the body l2 toprevent rotary movement of the cover. y Y

To indicate the position of the switch mechanisrn and whether thecurrent is ofi or on, the cam slide on one side is provided with twoupstanding lugs SG upon which is inserted a light plate 82 having markedthereon any suitable designations to indicate the two positions of theswitch such as Ofi and On, and the cover has an opening 84 which exposesthe proper designation to indicate the position of the switch. For

installing the switch the insulating body is pro- Turning the button ina clockwise direction turns the cam and moves the cam slide whichcarries the upper end of the actuating spring across the plane of therocker member. As soon as the upper end oi the spring passes throughplane, the spring throws the rocker member over and completes themovement oi the cam slide as far as it can go and holds the parts inthat position until the button is again turned to reverse the action.

It will be observed that my invention greatly reduces the number ofparts of the switch by utilizing the insulating body for bearingsthereby eliminating separate bearing parts and fastening means therefor.The assembling and mounting of the switch mechanism in the insulatingbody is greatly simplied since it requires but the two screws forfastening the guide plate in place which holds all the parts inoperative position.

It will be apparent that switches constructed in accordance with myinvention can be produced and assembled with great rapidity and at avery low cost. Not only does the simplicity of construction contributeto compactness and cheapness but also to efficiency and durability.

,it is to be understood that the foregoing described embodiment of theinvention is merely to illustrate the one application of the inventionwhich may be embodied in various other forms all within the scope of theiollowing claims.

What I claim is:

l. An electric switch having, in combination, a recessed insulatingbody, a pair of xed contacts mounted in said recess in separatedrelation, a U-shaped rocker member pivotally mounted in nat-bottomedgrooves in the side walls or said recess for bridging said contacts,said member having a pair of upwardly extending extensions for engaginglatwise said fixed contacts, a spring for actuating said rocker memberto open and close the circuit through said fixed contacts, a

cam-slide connected to one end of said spring and movable on shouldersformed on the insulating body, a cam for reciprocating said camslide tooperate said spring, a guide plate fastened to said insulating body forcontrolling the;

movement of said cam-slide and for holding said cam in operativeposition and means for operating said cai 2. In an electric switch, thecombination ci a recessed insulating body, a pair of xed contactsilf:

ing said rocker member, a slide connected to one-115 end of said spring,said slide having upturned end flanges, and a button .operated cammounted between said end iianges for reciprocating said slide, toactuate said rocker member.

3. An electric switch having, in combination, afi12o recessed insulatingbody, a cam slide adapted for reciprocatory movement on shoulders formedin said body, a guide plate fastened to said insulating body for guidingsaid cam-slide, a cam intermediate said plate and said slide forreciproT-lzs eating said slide and a switch member connected to andadapted to be operated by said cam slide.

4. An electric switch having, in combination, a pair of fixed contacts,a U-shaped rocker member for bridging said contacts, said memberhav-1.1130

ing upturned extensions for engagement atwise with said contacts, aspring :for actuating said rocker member, a cam slide provided withupturned end flanges and attached to one end ci said spring, guidingmeans for said cam slide, a 13E cam for reciprocating said cam slide byengagement with said end flanges to operate said spring and a buttoneccentrically mounted in said cam for operating the same.

5. in an electric switch, the combination of a lli-l a button for A5

